Starting on April 23, 12 days from now, Delta will roll out new same day travel options for day-of-flight changes.

Key Points Of New Policy

• Original ticket booking class must be available to change to another flight
• May request the change anytime prior to the departure on the same day as the flight
• New flight times must be three hours before or after your original flight time
• Change is eligible if the departure time(s) falls between 12am (on the same day as the originally booked ticket) and 2am (the following day) to account for overnight flights
• Origin, destination or co-terminal (LGA to JFK) changes are not same-day confirmed eligible
• Diamond, Platinum and Gold members can change outside of the three hour window
• Award tickets are same day change eligible

Fees

Silver Medallion members, general SkyMiles members and non-members:

• $50 USD Same-Day Change Fee — If your requested flight is same-day confirmed eligible
• Applicable Change Fee — These fees vary based on your ticket and its fare rules, and will be due if you have a restricted fare and your requested flight is outside of same-day travel eligibility. Change fees are dictated by the fare rules.

Diamond, Platinum, and Gold Medallion members:

• $50 USD Same-Day Confirmed Fee Waived — If the requested flight is same-day confirmed eligible and falls within 3 hours before or after the original ticketed departure time.
• $50 USD Same-Day Confirmed Fee- If the requested flight is same-day confirmed eligible and falls outside 3 hours before or after the original ticketed departure time.

Delta’s New Same Day Travel Options

Beginning April 23, 2013, you may request a day-of-flight change any time prior to the departure time of your original flight. Previously, this option was only available within three hours of your new departure time, so this expanded timeframe will allow you more time to make changes. Diamond, Platinum and Gold Medallion® members will still receive fee waivers for same-day confirmed changes, but new flight times must now be three hours before or after your original flight time to be eligible for a waiver.

Please also note that the same booking class (e.g. Q, K, L or U) as your original ticket must now be available for same-day confirmed travel changes to another flight.

Diamond, Platinum, and Gold Medallion members may continue to stand by free of charge for flights outside of the complimentary window or when your booking class is not available.  We also now offer a new $50 standby option for Silver Medallion members, general SkyMiles members and non-members.

Bottom Line

Diamond, Platinum and Gold Medallion members can still stand by for free outside of the 3 hour +/- window. This is a blow to folks looking to change award tickets because now an award class ticket must be available. Folks on heavily discounted fares will be hurt as well. Overall, folks on premium fares will make out the best since their fare class will be more likely to be available if seats on a flight still exist.

For full details on the change, visit Delta’s website here.

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